My Tips & Tricks for a Minimal Diaper Bag (From a Mom of Three)

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A minimal diaper bag makes life easier! Here’s how I pack mine.

When my first child was born, I geared up (with baby gear, that is) in preparation! I’d registered at multiple stores and my sweet friends, family and coworkers threw me multiple showers.

I *thought* I was being minimal. But for the scary unknown of a baby, I also wanted to be well-prepared.

I hadn’t received a diaper bag as a gift, but since this was clearly a non-negotiable, I purchased an inexpensive satchel-style bag weeks in advance of my due date.

As part of preparing for her arrival, I set out to assemble her diaper bag.

I added some diapers, wipes and an outfit. But the bag was so big, it felt ridiculous to have it so empty. I knew I must be missing something since there was so much unused space, so I went searching. I packed another spare outfit, a receiving blanket, my nursing cover, hand sanitizer, a first aid kit, socks and lanolin cream.

It still seemed… awkwardly empty.

So I added more clothes and receiving blankets, burp clothes and nail clippers and travel sized diaper rash ointment. I threw in a few toys and little baggies for dirty clothes and diapers.

At that point my bag “felt about right” –full but not too full. And that’s about what I kept in there for baby #1’s young months.

By the time baby #2 was born, I wisened up about the whole “diaper bag” concept. Turns out, any bag works about as well. I began using a mid-sized purse.

I packed about as much for two kids that I had for one.

And now that baby #3 is here, I’ve finally reached what I would call minimal status with my diaper bag, and the world did not implode.

Here are some tips and tricks for those moms who are ready to minimize.

My Tips and Tricks for a Minimal Diaper Bag

1. Keep occasional-use items in a bag in your vehicle

I’d hate to be out of the house without a first aid kit or changes of clothes, but I don’t need to literally carry these around on my back during every outing. I keep them in our van, and if we ever need them, they’re never far away.

2. Don’t carry a dedicated changing pad.

There is no need for a dedicated changing pad.

Here’s how to change a baby’s diaper with out one (as explained by my dear sister-in-law and mom-of-four):

1. Open the clean diaper and lay it under the baby’s diapered bottom.
2. Unfasten the dirty diaper and use the front part to wipe away the bulk of the poop, folding it over to contain the poop but leaving it under the baby’s dirty bottom (still on top of the clean diaper).
3. Clean baby up.
4. Once clean, remove the old diaper from under the baby’s bottom and bundle it up with all waste and discard. Then fasten on the clean one!

If you want an additional barrier between baby and surface, any piece of fabric will suffice. Enter, receiving blanket.

3. No need to pack diaper rash and related creams

In most cases, their little bottoms can survive until you get home. Unless your baby is having a specific problem, “just in case” creams aren’t needed.

4. Leave the toys (all or in part)

There’s this funny thing about kids. They have an amazing ability to entertain themselves… even when no toys are available. As I write this my baby is happily exploring a plastic child’s hanger in her bouncy seat. Sometimes we create needy kids by over-providing.

Minimal moms say, here are two sticks, enjoy! 🙂

5. Find items that have multiple uses.

Such as:

• Custom throw blankets. A single good blanket covers many bases. 
• Covered Goods™ nursing cover. Besides being the best nursing cover I’ve ever tried, this is wonderfully multi-functional. It doubles as a car seat cover (which works quite well), and triples as a shopping cart cover. What’s more, if you want to keep your diaper bag extra light, you can wear it as an infinity scarf!

 

What’s in My Minimal Diaper Bag

My basic essentials as a mom of three (ages 4, 2 and 4 months) are:

1. A muslin blanket. This serves as whatever I may need on that particular outing: a receiving blanket, a cover in a chilly store, a burp cloth or a changing surface.
2. Covered Goods™ nursing cover. It’s thin and lightweight and folds up quite small. Also, when we’re out and about and baby Emily gets tired, I pull it over her car seat and she falls right to sleep.
3. A clean onesie for baby. Emily spits up frequently and is a diaper-blow-out time bomb. I keep her spare clothing simple, often packing only a onesie and perhaps a clean bib. My older kids rarely need a change of clothes, so theirs are kept in our van. This changes based on need. During potty training, more clothes are carried.
4. Diapers and wipes.

If we’re going on a longer outing, I will include water cups for my big kids and snack bags. I don’t regularly carry these things anymore because I’ve realized it’s okay, even better, for kids to eat at organized intervals rather than constant goldfish grazing. My kids eat better all around when I provide fewer snacks.

But when they’re needed, I have plenty of space for them in my bag! If we’re going to be gone all morning, I always bring snacks.

I gave up on milk out of the house a long time ago. Water simplifies life. That’s good.

Covered Goods™ Nursing Cover

I am seriously so thankful for this nursing cover. I’ve religated my others to the drawer. Here’s why.

What I love about my Covered Goods™ nursing cover:

• It’s unbelievably soft. I am comfortable.
• It’s lightweight and breathable. Every other nursing cover I’ve used has been horribly stuffy for the baby. This one gets a pleasant draft right through. I am content.
• It’s full-coverage, both front and back. Why aren’t all nursing covers this design? I am happy.
• It stays in place. It’s a wrap-style, not a flappy thing that baby can bat aside. I am confident and relaxed.
• It’s multi-functional. I enjoy using it as a car seat cover most, but it can also double as a scarf or cart-cover as needed. I am unburdened.

This nursing cover has been a blessing to me! If you are a nursing mom or know one who would enjoy this cover, purchase one here.

*This nursing cover was generously provided to me by Covered Goods™. All opinions are entirely my own!

 

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